caller



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. A. CALLER.

SURGICAL SPLINT.

No. 377,145. Patented Jan. 31, 1888.

WITNESSES: fzm y ATTORNEYS.

Pholo Lllhographnr. Washington, we.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

I A. CALLER.

SURGICAL SPLINT.

No. 377,145. Patented Jan. 31, 1888.

INVENTOR WITNESSES $2: Jam

ATTORNEYS.

n PETERS. MulwLilho m hun Washmglon, n. C.

UNiTnn STATES FATENT Genres,

ANNIE CALLER, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

SURGICAL SPLINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,145, dated January 31. 1888,

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, ANNIE CALLER, of Al bany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Surgical Splint, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Hy invention relates to a surgical splint adapted to hold reset or injured or sore limbs while plaster molds are hardening on them, or while sores are healing; and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and effective apparatus of this character, which may be applied easily and quickly, and is more especially designed for holding limbs which have been broken and reset while treating bow-legged or knock-kneed children.

The invention consists in certain novel fcatu res of construction and combinations of parts of the surgical splint, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a child laid upon an operating-table and my improved surgical splint or fracture apparatus applied to hold the childs limbs in plaster casts or molds. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the splint, taken on the line a" m, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is aplanview of the splint; and Fig. 4 is vertical sectional view taken on the line y y, s-

The splint is made with opposite extensible side rails, each consisting of a metal bar, A, provided at opposite edges with inturned lips or flanges a a, which form a pocket or guide to receive the other part or metal bar, 13, of each rail and hold it to allow it to be slid along the bar A. The back ends of the bars A A are provided with short posts or feet 0 O, whiehand, it may be said, bars also-are connected by a cross-bar, D, to which eyes or rings (1 (Z are attached to admit the fingers, to allow more convenient extension of the side rails of the splint when adjusting it lengthwise to patients of different stature. The forward ends The bars 13 B are connected to the frame E at sufficient height to cause the side rails of the splint to incline downward from the feet toward the head of the patient sufficiently to prevent excessive flow of blood to the patients feet or swelling of the feet or limbs while being held by the splint, in a manner presently explained.

To the opposite bars B B of the side rails of the splint are fixed the opposite side edges of a metal plate, F, which is bent upward lengthwise at the center and opposite edges to form two concaved rests, f f, to receive the calves of both legs of the patient. The plate F is perforated, as clearly shown in the drawings, to admit air to the plaster casts in which the patients legs are bound up and facilitate the quick setting of the plaster around the limbs. Footrests G G, preferably made of harnessleather and padded on the inside, are hung, by straps g g, from eyes, staples, or rings 6 e", fixed to the top cross-bar, e, of the foot-frame E. A strap, H, is passed around the side rails of the splint, and is intended to encircle the patients body at or near the hips, and straps I I, passed around each of the splint side rails, are intended to bind the plaster incased limbs to the rails.

The operation of the splint is very simple and effective and as follows: After a childs bowed or otherwise crippled limbs are broken and reset straight, and are incased in plaster in the usual or any approved way, it is the work of less than one minute for two persons to slip the child into the splint, or to slip the splint under the reset limbs, and while the feet are placed in the rests G G to buckle the straps H I around the body and plaster'incased limbs and hold the limbs securely and steadily in place while the plaster cast or mold sets or hardens around or upon them to await a proper knitting together of the reset bones, so as to leave the formerly crooked or crippled limbs straight and strong when the splint and the plaster cast or mold are removed. The draw ing Fig. 1 shows the child resting by the head, shoulders, and back on a pillow, J, placed on the operating-table K.

Itis obvious that this splint may be so quickly and correctly adjusted that all dangers usually attending the holding of the reset and plasterincased limbs by the hands such as throwing the broken bones out of place-are entirely obviated, and the services of two persons for less than one ininutein applying the splint effects a large saving of time over that needed to hold the limbs by hand until the plaster hardens, and which usually requires the work of two persons for from two three hours. i

The splint may be used with excellent results for holding sore limbs in place while healing, as will readily be understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A surgical splint made with side rails and a plate connected thereto and bent to form concave rests for both legs of the patient, substantially as herein set forth.

2. A surgical splint made with extensible or telescoping side rails and a plate connected to the rails and bent to form concave rests for both legs of the patient, substantially as herein set forth.

3. A surgical splint made with extensible or telescoping side rails supported so as to in cline downward fromthe feet toward the head of the patient, and supports for the calves of the patients legs, attached to the side rails, substantially as herein set forth.

4. A surgical splint made with side rails, a

ing the patients legs one to each side rail of the splint, substantially as herein set forth.

5. A surgical splint made with side rails, a plate connected thereto and shaped to form rests for both legs of the patient, and separate rests for the feet of the patient, connected to the foot-frame of the splint, substantially as herein set forth.

6. The combination, in a surgical splint, of opposite extensible side rails, A B A 13, posts 0 G, a cross-bar, D, connecting said posts or side rails, a foot-frame,E, to which the side rails are attached, a plate, F, connected to the side rails and bent to form two concaved legrests, f f, foot-rests G G, suspended from the frame E, and straps H I, adapted to secure the patients limbs, substantially as described, for i the purposes set forth.

' ANNIE CALLER. Witnesses:

J. L. HENNING, HARRIET FRY. 

